Kathleen Curran

Vice President, Communications

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Oct. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — When Marilyn Barnett founded The Mars Agency in 1972, it was rare for a woman to work outside of the home at all, let alone start an advertising agency. In iconic fashion however, she had a dream – some may call it an ‘American Dream’ – and she had the will to see it through. In honor of one woman’s dream that today has become a reality for more than 500 employees across The Mars Group in North America and Europe, the agency will host its inaugural Founder’s Day in each of its 10 North American offices on Friday, October 30, 2015.

Marking the end of its fiscal year, The Mars Agency is celebrating the addition of 85 new employees, two Fortune 500 clients and three Fortune 100 clients in the 2014/2015 fiscal year, along with an impressive 30 percent growth in revenue over the last five years. The event will be a chance for Martians (as agency team members are affectionately known) to reflect on the roots of the company and look ahead to the new fiscal year, with continued opportunities for education, growth and development through what is the Mars Mantra: Unifying Ideassm.

“Unifying Ideassm is something we’re now formalizing to be how we work internally as well as how we work with our clients and partners. To see the world from a variety of perspectives and then find a unifying solution to our clients’ challenges is a pivotal element of our success,” said Global CEO Ken Barnett. “My mom [Marilyn Barnett] had a vision for a world-class agency that was built on family-oriented ideals and could produce great work with integrity. I’m so grateful to her for that vision, because it has truly guided us to continue innovating in an ever-evolving and continually fragmented industry, while remaining true to who we are as an agency family.”

While everyone within The Agency has a specialty – whether it be consumer insights, creative ideation or retailer strategy, to name a few – the process of Unifying Ideassm encourages each team member to become a department-agnostic, cross-functional ideator. “While this has always been a part of our approach as an agency, for the new fiscal year, we wanted to give the approach an official identity and provide a clear path for our team members to really take advantage of the opportunities here,” said Partner and Chief Operating Officer Rob Rivenburgh. “Our multi-disciplinary and omnichannel thinking is what sets The Mars Agency’s ideas apart from any other ideas in the industry. We give our employees the tools to solve client challenges from every angle possible, and that benefits our clients as they receive better solutions and ideas that work.”

Founder’s Day will give Martians the choice between several different breakout sessions, regardless of department or specialty, some of which include an augmented reality tour of an upcoming social command center, an overview of their recently launched media-buying trading desk, their revamped broadcast production studio and environmental design group.

“We want our people to be passionate about what they do on a daily basis, and a part of igniting that passion is ensuring they can explore and learn about new interests,” said Barnett. “In an industry that changes as much and as often as ours, there’s always something new to learn.”

Along with a day full of activity, Ken Barnett will deliver a speech in honor and recognition of Marilyn Barnett. He will also announce some groundbreaking programs to be launched during the 2015/2016 fiscal year, and structural changes to the agency that are sure to set the tone for the next four decades of growth and industry leadership from The Mars Agency.

About The Mars AgencyThe Mars Agency creates Unifying Ideassm for a divided industry. This global shopper marketing agency focuses on driving sustainable growth for its Fortune 500 clients by unifying the wants and needs of brands, shoppers and retailers. They build simple, connective marketing solutions that link brand experiences across mediums, devices and channels of commerce.